New Brew Thursday - Double Tap . . . Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA and Rogue Yellow Snow IPA

If you had asked me a month ago if I was a fan of India Pale Ales I would have responded with a resounding ‘no’.  If you asked me today I’d say I’ve got a hankerin’ for some of that bitter, citrusy goodness!  Really!  I think I just drooled a little simply thinking about one. Mmmm.

Why the sudden turn about?  I don’t know.  Maybe IPA’s, like beer in general, are an acquired taste and perhaps I’ve acquired the taste.  Or, maybe I never had a good IPA and I’ve recently had a few very good ones.  Perhaps, it’s a combination of the two. Whatever the case I thinking I’m liking IPA’s. 

Let me introduce you to a pair of IPA’s that have reversed my opinion of the hoppy brew.

The first is Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA.  Dogfish Head Brewery is based in Milton, Delaware and gets its name from Dogfish Head, Maine where the brewery’s founder spent his childhood summers.

 

As the beer poured into the glass the bright golden color really caught my attention . . . it was very rich looking . . . very appealing.  The grapefruity aroma as I took my first whiff of the 60 minute was mouthwatering.  

The first taste was equally lip smacking.  The beer is citrusy and as hoppy as I would expect an IPA to be with a bitter finish.  Overall I didn’t think the hoppiness was overpowering and the tart fruit flavors were refreshing.  A very drinkable and yummy beer. 

6% alcohol by volume.

Visit Dogfish Head at their website  or on Facebook 

The second is Yellow Snow IPA by Rogue Ales.  Frankly, I picked it because of the fun label and a name that couldn’t be denied.  The fact that I’m not (or wasn’t) and IPA drinker didn’t matter . . . I had to try it!   All I can say is the Yellow Snow was gooooood and didn’t not disappoint.

 

Rogue started out as a brewpub and is headquartered in Newport, Oregon.  It is a small but growing brewery with a variety of craft beers that are distributed throughout the United States.  I know this because I live all the way on the other side of the country and it seems like there’s a new Rogue beer to try every time I visit my local package store.

Unlike its namesake, Yellow Snow is immediately inviting . . . it is a deep gold color with bright fruity aroma of grapefruit with a hint of pine.    The beer has a cloudy, unfiltered appearance and pours a big head.   It’s hoppy, but not in-your-face or over the top.   It rolls over the tongue with a hint of caramel and spiciness that fully compliments the citrusy, bitter goodness.  Yellow Snow is truly a good brew . . .two thumbs up! 

6.2% alcohol by volume.

Visit Rogue at their website  or on Facebook 

I still aver that I am not a hophead, but I appreciate these citrusy bitter beers more and more as I have better and better ones.  Bring on the IPA!